As we enter 2017, there have been a host of brands that have pulled the plug on the 3.5mm headphone jack. When Apple announced their ‘courage’ of removing the headphone jack, Apple made sure that users had another way to connect their earbuds with. First, they included a 3.5mm adaptor, and second, gave Apple enthusiasts the option to dive into Apple’s lavish airpods.

With Google actually mocking Apple last year for ditching the headphone jack, it didn’t take long for Google to follow the same path as Apple did despite all the mockery last year. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL do not come with a headphone jack pushing Apple’s momentum into full gear. Alongside that, users are reporting the Google pulled the plug on including a set of earbuds at the last moment as many unboxings revealed.

An email developer, Lucas Everett took it to Twitter tagging Google and Verizon into the mix questioning the existent of these earbuds. Not only that, but the manual itself also reveals that Google was supposed to pack earbuds into the box. Giving it a second look, it seems like Google did actually pull the plug on including the earbuds within the box when we read the contents of what Google includes inside of the box, and indeed there was no mention of earbuds anywhere. Neither on Verizon’s page and neither on Google’s.

Upon further investigating on the matter, it seems like Google has packaged some devices differently, which could mean that they could be packaged for international audiences or either their last-minute ditch might be getting into the hands of some users until Google’s next batch comes in.

@madebygoogle My @verizon Pixel 2 included an empty place in box for earbuds, and they were mentioned in booklet. @AndroidPolice – said Lucas Everett

Google’s Pixel 2 Box Missing The Earbuds

Now making up conspiracies about the subject won’t do it much justice except for the fact that we know that this was a last-minute decision on Google’s side. There could be a ton of explanations theorizing why Google may have ditched the earbuds, but the fact is that they aren’t coming back.